NEW DELHI – A fire broke through a hotel in Kolkata, eastern India, killing at least 14 people, police said on Wednesday. Senior police officer Manoj Kumar Verma told reporters that the fire broke out at the Rituraj hotel in central Kolkata on Tuesday night and was eliminated after struggling to occupy six fire trucks. The cause of the fire is not yet known.
Photos and videos carried on Indian media show people trying to escape through the building’s windows and narrow ledges.
The Telegraph in Kolkata reported that at least one person died when he jumped off the balcony and tried to escape.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X, who was “troubled” by his life in the fire.
Sahiba Chawdhary/Reuters
Fires are common in India, and builders and residents often take place in construction laws and safety regulations. The radicals say builders often cut safety to save costs and blame the civic authorities for negligence and indifference.
At least 27 people were killed when the four-storey commercial building in New Delhi torn apart in 2022.
